Electric switch



June 11, 1929. G. J. MEUER I ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed- March- 11, 1925INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY GEORGE J'.

Patented 1 1.1929. U IT-En STA T0 CUTLER- HAMMEB, INC., A

TIES-PATENT, OFFICE.

MEUER, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORQBY'MESNE assrcmmmus,

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

nnnccrmc swrrdn.

- Appfication filed march ll, 1925. Serial 110414 608.

' This invention relates to improvements in electric switches. a Anobject of the invention is to provide anelectric switch which isneat'a'nd compact in appearance and eflicient and reliable in operation.0

.Another object is to provide a switch having an improved .form ofmovable and sta-.

tionary contact elements.

Another object is to provide an nnproved switch for small currentcarrying devices such as automobile dash lights, radio apparatus and thelike.

Another object is to provide a switch of the'aforementioned characterhaving relatively few parts, which may be quickly and accuratelyassembled.

Other objects and advantages of'the mvention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated an embodiment of theinvention,

side elevational view of certain elements hers 15 and 16. Said shankportions 'are'of reduced width to provide corners or. shoul ders 17 and18 (Fig. 1) for engagement with the lower face 'of member. 10, wherea;the upper ends of said shank portions pas" through small perforatedplates 19 and 20', substantially elliptical in contour, and are rivetedthereover as indicated at 21andf22, said plates forming with saidriveted ends as hereinafter more fully described.

minal screws 23*.and 24 provide for connec tion of he switch While Ihave shown but two stationary contacts it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that the number thereof may be inthe drawing, thenumeral 10' a close 'fit the shank portions 13 and'14 of terminal memrrelatively large stationary contact surfaces,

n a suitable ClICllllL' creased without otherwise modifying the switchstructure. Themelnber 10 is -preferably provided with three or moreequally'spa-ced notches 25 in the periphery'thereof, said notches beingadapted for flush reception-of corresponding lugs-or projections 26' onan inverted cup-shaped switch housing member 27, said lugs 26 when bentinwardly over the lower face of member .10, as indicated at 28, beingadapted to securely hold the switch parts in assembled relation.

The housing member27 is provided cen- 1 trally of its upper surface withan opening 29 adapted to receive a reduced portion 30 of an externallythreaded cylindrical memher-31, said reduced portion being outwardlybent or 'rivetedas indicated at 32 in a manner to secure members27 and31 against relativerotation. V

The holldw closed end of member 31 is slotted as indicated at 33, toreceive and permit oscillation of a cam member 34 having adjacent camsurfaces 35 and 36. Cam

member 34 is pivoted by means of afloating pivot pin 37,which-isinsertable into a pivot ole 38 when the latter is in alinementwith an'opening 39 through one side of the member 31, after which saidpin is moved upwardly and held in a groove or bearing 40,

as hereinafter described. Member 34 is formed with an operating lever41, said lever being preferably provided. at the outer.

end thereof with an enlarged or rounded. portion 42 to facilitatemanualoperation ofi the switch.

Enclo'sed within cylindrical member 31 and adapted for engagement by thecam surfaces 35Jand 36 res ectively, is a spherical 'mb er 43,'- referab y of steel. Member 43 !S' in'tl1ln a apted. toengage the uppersurace .of p

ts'mo'vement by the inner wall of "member 31, said .plunger' being istonor plunger 44, which is provided with a reduced portion or downwarextension 45, whichengages a core s 'i ig g..the s m a The-reduce,portionzb providesan anr-sho'ulder '47 on member 44agains't which aperforated insulating .disk 48 is adapted to abut, the perforation 49.in said disk providing arelatively close fit around the extension 45. Asecond insulating disk rm. .s

- 48 having a similar opening 49 is strung.

I upon the extension 45, and interposed 'between said disks is acircular bridging contact member 50, said contact member having arelatively large central opening 51 to separate thesame from saidextension. Con

tact 50 is provided with an upwardlyextending depressed portion .52-adaptedto receive the lower disk 48 with a snug fit, whereby said diskwill retain said contact in centered relation with respect'to extension45.

Surrounding the extension 45 and interposed between lower disk 48 andthe base 10 is a coiled spring 53 of substantially conical shape, thesmaller' endthereof pressing against the lower disk 48 and tending atall times to holdthe contact 50 out of engagetive extreme-positions.

. Asmore clearly shown in Fig. .5, the con- Ttactmember 501s ofcircularcontour, and

is divided by a plurality of radial slots 54 to provide a correspondingnumber of radial spring contact 'fingers 55 to" increase the res Isilience of said contact a'ndtherebyto insure more perfect-engagementthereofwith the stationary contact will be apparent, the fingers 55permit additional downward movement of contact afterinitialengagementthereof 'withstationary contacts 19,21 and20, 22, suchaddition'al movement effecting a desirable sliding or wiping engagementof the fingers with said stationary contacts, whereas said fingersalso'permit the 'neeessaryslight reverse movement of said contactincident to registrationof cam surface 36 with spherical member 43,.without interrupting proper. en-- gagement of the'contacts. .Theresilientcontact fingers 55. also assistjthe coi led spring 53 1 ineffecting interruption of circuit .with a 'snapaction upon movementofcam lever 41 to off position. The form of contact 50 ob-l viates'thenecess ity fo'r any articular rotary arrangement of the same wlthrespectto the stationary contacts, and also obviates the necessity forlocking said movable contact against possible rotation thereof incidentto operation of the switch.

Asaforeindicated-the cylindrical member 31 is externallyscrew-threadedfsaid member being further provided with cooperating nuts56 and 57' for securin the device to any suitable or desired pane orboard having an opening therethrough to receive the apparent toltho'seskille "ters. Patent iis member 31. The nuts 56 and 57 are adapted toengage opposite 1 sides of the. panel to clamp the device rigidly inposition. Obviously the position of either or both of the nuts 56 and 57may e adjusted to 30001111110 date variousthicknesses of panel or other"support.

In assembling-the-aforedescribed device,

the cam 34 is inserted into slot 33 and the pivot pin 37 is dropped intothe pivothole 38 through opening 39. The cam is 'then' drawn upwardlyuntil the pin 37 rests in groove 40 which prevents'lateral movement thelatter is prevented by the inner wall of member 31. Spherical member43jis their inserted,= preferably with the deep cam surface 35 inreceivingposition.- Plunger-'44 is then inserted; and onto the portion45thereof are strung the upper disk 48, bridging contact 50, lower disk48, andcoiled spring 53. 10, withits previously attached contact andprojecting "of the pin, whereas endwise movement of The insulatingmember terminal members, is then moved into 'position with'no'tches 25in alinement with the unbent lugs orpro e'etlons 26,-jsuoh movement alsoeffecting registration of ex tension .5 with opening 46 in inmber'lO;whereupon the lugs.28' may bebent inwardly as illustrated to firmly holdall of theswitch ele- The nuts 56' ments in operative position. and 57may, of course, be threaded onto the member-31 before or after theaforementioned assembling operation; whereas to at- ('ach the device toa support in the manner aforedescribed it is only-'necessary'to removethe nut 56.

- As illustrated in Fig. 2 the switch partsan in circuit breakingposition, whereas upon movement of knob 42 to the'right con-. tact 50will be forced into circuit making position against the action of sprin53, and r as will be apparent movement oi -knob '42.

in opposite directions to extreme positions is effected with a snapaction.

I have thus provided a switelrwhich is neat and compact in appearanceand e'xtreinely efiicient; and reliable in operation. WhileI have shownbut one form which my inventionmay assume in (practice, it will in theart that various modifications may bemade therein withoutdep'arting fromthe spirit and scope I of my invention as defined in the appendedclaims. What I claim and 1. In anelectric switch, the combinationdesire'to secure by Let- A 4 with. an insulating'base'having a.plurality of stationary contacts terminal members having portionspenetrating said base'and contacts and riveted thereto, a bridgingconductor having a plurality- 'ofresilient contact .fingers' and adapted:for rectilinear movement intoandeut of engagement with said contacts,"and means for efiecting such directions with a snap action.

2. In an electric switch, the combination avith "an insulating plate,c'ontactsand termi -j nals having portions penetrating said-plate andriveted thereto, 'aninvertedcup-shaped member secured to said plate,-ametallic supporting bushing-secured to said member, a bridging contactmovable within said-member into and out of engagementwith said firstmentioned contacts, a coiled spring biasing said movable contact out ofbridging relation to the other contacts, and means adapted in oneposition thereof to'qpe-rmit such biased movement of said bridging contact and in another position thereof to effect movement thereof in' anopposite direction" against'the action of said'spring, said meansincluding a loosely pivoted sheet metal-cam engaging asphericalnnemberand a plunger for transmitting reciprocating movement ofsaid spherical member, said plunger-being adapted to-move said bridgingcontact bnt' insulated therefrom.

4E. The con'ibina'tion with an insulatingplatehaving a contact securedthereto, a movable -contact spring-biased out of en gagement with saidfirst mentionedcontact, a pivoted operating member, afioating metallicmember fortransmitting motion from said lever to said movable co'ntactagainst the action of the spring, a projection on said metallicmemberengaging a portion of said plate to be guided thereby, and-meansforinsulating said metallic member from saidmovable contact, said meanscomprising a"- plurality of insulating disks each-to be centered by saidprojection and one of. the same en a in a corres )ondin disk-sha eddepression in said movable contact.

4. The combination wlth an'.1nsulat1ng plate having an openingtherethrough and f contacts secured thereto, a bridging member.spring-biased out of engagement with said contacts, a metallic memberfor transmittingmotion to said bridging member against the action of thespring, acam and a spherical member for transmitting motion to saidmetallic member, a' projection on said metallic member extending throughsaid opening to' be guided thereby, and means for insulatingandcentering said bridging member with re-' spect to said metallicmember, said means. comprising an insulating disk to be centered by saidprojection and engaging-a co-oper 'ating disk-shaped depression in saidbridging member 5. The combination with an electric switch, oi operatingmeans therefor compris-. ing a hollowmember having a slotted end,

a cam in' said slot having a .pivothole there i through, said memberhavi'ng a'n openingin v7n one side I thereof to permit insertion of apivot pin mtots'ald hole, and said canrand p vot pin being thereaftermovable oiut'of" alinement with saidopening to prevent -displacementofsaid pivot pin. 4 6. The combination with an electric switch, ofoperating means therefor compirisil-lg a tubular member having a closedend, said end having a slot extendi'n'g there- -t:hrough, a" cam havinga pivot opening so therein and said member havingan opening in onezsidethereof at rightangles to said slot to permit insertion of a pivotpininto the opcning-in'said cam, said member having an internal groove intowhich said pin may be moved to prevent relative lateral movementtl1ereof,'said pin in such position being out of register with saidopening in the tubular member to thereby prevent end- Wise movement ofsaidpivot pin. 7 7.111 an electric switch, the combination with a switchhousing having an insulating plate at ope endthereof, stationarycontacts-supported-by said plate, a hollow bushingsecured to the otherend of said housing, acylindrical member slidable within, said bushing,a uide rod attached to said cylindrical member and engaging a corresponding opening in said. plate, a pair of insulating disks having relatively-small openings to permit centering thereof by said rod, when passedtherethrough, a diskshaped bridging contact interposed between saiddisks, said bridging contact having a plurality of radial contactfingers 'and ade- 10: pressed central portion to accommodate one of saidinsulating disks to be centered thereby, and a coiled spring interposedbetween said insulating plate and said last mentioned disk to bias saidbridging contact out of engagement with said stationary contacts.

8. In an electric switch, the combination witha switch housing having aninsulating plate 'at one end .tl 1ereof, stationary contact and terminal.members, having portions penetrating said plate and riveted thereto, ametallic bushing at the other end of said housing, a cylindricalmemberslidable within saidbushing, a, guide rod a "had to said cylindricalmember 'andengagmg 'the walls of a corresponding opening in said plate,a. pair of insulating disks having relatively small openings to permitcentering thereof by said: rod when passed therethrough, adisk sh'apedbridging contact interposed between said disks, said bridging contactbeing formed to provide a plurality of radial spring contact fingers andhaving a. relatively large central opening and a depressed centralportion to accommodate one disk to bias said bridging contact out of e11of said insulating disks for centering thereby, a coiled springinterposed between said insulating plate and said last mentioned.'gagement 'with said stationary contacts, and

means comprising a loosely pivoted camv lever for I'nOYlng Said bridgingcontact into engagement with said stationary contacts, insulating plateand saidiast-mentionedj againstthe action ,of'said spring.

'5 ilitsaid 'b us}1ing, .a guiderod attached to ,i In, an electricswitch the combination W1th1a switcl llons ng having'an insulating plateat oneiendthereof stationary contacts said;cylindrieal menibonandengaging the wallsof'ja corresponding opening in said i PM No. 717,057."

" plate, a; pairpf ins'nlating disks having relat vely small open ngs toperm t centering througln: a ,diskesliaped ln'id gin g" contact in-CERTIFIICATE terposedbetweensaid disks, said bridging:

contact being formed to provide a plurality of radial spring contact finers' and having a relatively large: central op ning andfa depressed,entral. portion .to accommodate one of said inisiila ting disks foi'oentering there-Y by, a coiled-springs: interposed between said disk tobias said bridging contact out of en gagement with, said stationarycontacts,' means for moving 'said bridging contact in; to engagementwith said stationary contacts: supported hy'said-plate,anegrternallyscrewagainst -.the action of saidspring, saidthreaded-bushing 1 .at t -h e otherend of said -1neans' comprising -aloosely pivoted cam fliousing,acylindrical member slidable witlumotiontheaefifoni to said cylindrical meming to clamp said; switch to asupporting panel.

seribed'niy name;

"GEORGE JQMEUER.

0F CORRECTION.

Granada 11', 192 9, \to

GEORGE J MEUER.

It is hereby certified that error ap'pears in the printed specification;of the 'above numbered-patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3,line. 33; foc- Y firstclaim number "4" read "3"; same page and claim,line 37, forithe' word neniber".' read -"lever"; and that the saidLetters Patentsliould'be 'read with v these corrections thereinth'at thesame inthe Patent Office.

may conform to the record of the case (Seal) M.- J. Mooi e;-- ActingCommissioner of Patents.

lever and -a-sphorical member to transmit In witness whereof,- I havehereunto'suly' I

